Improvement in ships  berths



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@out dei Laim Patent No. 92,204, dazed .hay e, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHIPS BERTHS.

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The Schedule referred to in these Letters Ptent and making part of the acme.

Btc.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, sutieient to enable those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains, to fully understand and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which-'- Figure 1 is a front elevation.

Figure 2, atransverse vertical section of iig. 1.

Figure 3, an end view,.with the shelves inclined.

Figures 4 and 5, detached views to be hereinafter referred to. y

My improvements are especially adapted to bunks and berths for use on shipboard and elsewhere; they may, however, be applied. to'other uses, as willwbe hereinafter set forth.

The object of my invention is to sc construct bunks, berths, &c., as to render them applicable to other uses, and to econoinize space in their storage.

My invention consists in constructing the bottom of each berth separate, and pivoting these tocommon vertical endpieces. lhese bottoms are connected togetlier by other verticalpieces, which form supports for the berths. Head and toot-boards are so lullig to the bottoms as 4toserve, when turned up, to keep the series of berths rigid.

My invention will be fully understood from the following detal description, and by reference to the drawings, wherein similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the. several figures.

In the drawings- A A A represent the bottoms of the berths. These are constructed each of end-pieces ,connected t0- gether by slats b. These slats may be round or square,

as desired, and should be made of dexible wood, so as to forin an easy bed-bottom.

I prefer to have the central slat made longer than the rest, so as to project at each end to form pivots af. These pivots may, however, be made of separate pins fixed in the end-pieces a.

` B represents a tlat strip connecting the berth-bottoms together, being provided with holes to receive the pivots a.

C C represent upright pieces, placed-one at each' corner of the berth-bottoms, and extending both above and below` the same, to form supports. lhese pieces are connected with each -berth-bottom A, by means of staples c, iixed in the pieces C, over the outer slats b.

D D represent the head and foot-boards, hinged in any suitable manner to the inside of each end-piece a,

Fig. 1 shows the berths as in position for use. 0n account of the peculiar construction of the berths, and the mode of connecting' them together, they may be`folded up closely, so as to be almost entirely out of the way.

Fig. 3 shows the berths only partially folded.

This feature, economy of space, is an advantage which can hardly be overrated. It will be,especially appreciated on shipboard, where every foot of space is valuable.

Each series or frame of berth is made separate, as shownin tig. 1, and two or more series may be connected together by means of coupling-blocks F, shown in fig. 5. These blocks are provided with two holes g g, which are fitted on to the upper ends of the pieces B of two contig-nous series. In order to connect together series of bunks situated on opposite sides of a room or cabin, I make nseoflong strips E, provided near each end with two holes, Ifor the reception ofthe upper extremities of the corner-pieces C C. This latter connection especially renders the frames or series o t' berths more stable. Curtains may be hung from the connections E, to form a private apartment.

may be packed; or, as a book-case, in which instance the frame is so adjusted that the shelves occupy an inclined position-not to such a degree, however, as is represented in tig. 3-and the frame then rested against a wall. By tixing a. block, G, shown in iig. 4, trailsverse to each of the rounded ends of the strips B, said blocks being for this purpose formed witha central mortise, z, and the frame, shown in iig. 1, inverted, a

very convenient drying-traine is produced, the fabrics being suspended fromvthe slats b, which furnish a. large amount ct' surface. In printing oices also, and 'paperwarehouses and manul'actories, these frames may be advantageously employed as racks whereon to deposit Athe sheets.

lWhen folded closely together, these frames serve as screens, and can also be used, in cases'of emergency, as ladders.

Besides the uses mentioned to which these frames are applicable, there are doubtless many others which combine to render the invention valuable to numerous classes of people, and under ditferent'circumstances of necessity.

It will, ofcourse, be understood that the use ofthe fratnes as clothes-driers, hook-shelves, 6to., will not impair their use as `bedsteads and berths, to which latter they can be readily converted from either of those before mcntionedand others. For this reason, my improvement will be especially useful in hotels, where, in consequence of great events and public excitement, long seasons of quiet are often followed without intervening time for preparation bya sudden and unexpected ingress of guests.

As the frames when packed occupy but little space, they may be readily transported by an army on the march for use in hospitals, and even as tent-frames, the series of berths being placed upright in the centre and covered by the canvas, thus affording dry and elevated bunks, whereby much of the disease now contracted by the men sleeping on the ground will be' avoided. 4

The frames may, when desired be so'constructed as to be highly ornamental to any apaltment, as will be understood by manufacturers of household-fur-` niture. Y I do not propose to limit myself to the berth-.bottom, constructed as described, for this may be variously changed, doubtless in many cases with good results. For instance, sacking may be substituted for the inner slats.

Having thus described my invent-ion,

What I claim as new, and desirerto secure by Let-.

ters Patent, is-

1. A folding-frame, composed of a series of shelves.

arranged one aboveanother, and connected together by means of common supports, substantially as herein described.

Witnesses:

PHIL. F. LARNER, GEO. W. ROTHWELL. 

